


Fucking Socks

by I_Carry_Your_Heart_With_Me



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Background Relationships, Birthday Presents, Dad! Adam, Dad! Ronan, Dogs, Family, Fluff, Internal musings, M/M, Swearing, post-trk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 08:56:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7611703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Carry_Your_Heart_With_Me/pseuds/I_Carry_Your_Heart_With_Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ronan struggles with Adam's birthday gift. Gansey is no help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fucking Socks

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is my first work... Well, ever really so be kind! Grammar, spelling etc. Should be good but let me know if you spot a mistake xx

Ronan Lynch was an extremely good gift getter. This was an indisputable fact. Just because he didn't buy gifts often didn't mean he wasn't good at it. Just because he occasionally forgot anniversaries, or Declan's birthday, didn't mean he didn't make an effort. Ronan Lynch was an extremely good gift getter... Usually.

"What?!?"  
"I just think-"  
"Dick, did you just fucking suggest that I get my boyfriend of two and a half fucking years a pair of fucking SOCKS?!?"  
Ronan wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. Adam's birthday was fast approaching and Ronan was running out of time. In so many ways it had been easier when Adam lived above St. Agnes. Birthday presents presented themselves; hand cream, a shower curtain, a shitty mug without a chip in the rim... Rent. But now things were harder, after all Adam Parrish rarely wanted for anything anymore. Adam Parrish was loved and cared for in a way he never had been before, Ronan made sure of it.   
"Well, yes..."  
For the first time in a long while it was Gansey sounding ashamed at the other end of the phone. Ronan sighed.  
"Put Maggot on the phone"  
Ronan began to pace, he rubbed at his forehead where a headache was beginning to form. There was a shuffling on the other end of the phone, then a cheery sounding Blue was chirping in his ear.  
"I told him the socks were a shit suggestion"  
Ronan huffed out a laugh.  
"You were right... Any ideas Maggot?"  
Ronan knew he sounded desperate... He wasn't totally sure he cared. There was a long pause on Blue's end. Ronan began to pace again. After a little while he took the phone away from his face to glare at it, he disliked phones immensely and rarely used them, but he knew enough about them to check he hadn't put Blue on hold. He brought the phone back up to his ear. The pause carried on. Ronan cleared his throat loudly. Blue sighed.  
"I do have one idea"  
Ronan waited.  
"I'm not sure you'll like it..."  
"Try me"

Attempting to hide Adam's birthday present was one of the most difficult things Ronan Lynch- slayer of nightmares, defender of kings, fighter of battles- had ever done. Of course it was rare that his nightmares ever squirmed so much. Or, indeed, that they tried to lick his face. Clutching the wriggling ball of fluff to his chest Ronan manoeuvred around the various dream things in one of the older barns, eventually he came across an old chest of drawers. Carefully readjusting his hold Ronan reached out with one hand and tugged on the middle drawer. It was half-filled with bed sheets and smelt strongly of moth balls. Ronan carefully lowered his squirming charge into the drawer. The doe eyed puppy stared up at him from the drawer. Ronan ran his hand over the pup's head, soothing it.  
"It's just until Adam gets here, then you can come out"  
The puppy wagged its tail at Ronan's voice. Ronan smiled. The pup had been Blue's idea. He hadn't been sure at first, not because he disliked dogs, but because a dog was just one more thing to care for. Yet the more he thought about it the more it made sense, farms needed dogs, Opal could definitely use the company, Chainsaw didn't seem to dislike them (or at least she quite liked the puppy) and Ronan knew that Adam was fond of them. A puppy was a brilliant present, and watching Opal pick it out had been one of the proudest most enjoyable hours of Ronan's life. The breeder had cooed over Opal's politeness, over how gentle she was with the pups, how quiet, how sweet. Ronan glowed. He was used to disdain, subtle comments about his age, about young parents or single fathers. He was used to anger bubbling in his gut, anger which screeched silently at these people that didn't know! These people who had no idea, that he was not alone, that his little girl had two people that loved her and neither one would ever leave her. These people who didn't know where she'd come from, who dared to suggest that they knew better she did, than Ronan did. But for that time, as his daughter- because that's what she was- played with her potential pets Ronan could be proud, Ronan could be happy. Eventually Opal made a decision.

 

Adam glowed. He was almost home. And when he got there... Ronan would be there, his Ronan. His home. And Opal would be there. He missed them both immensely. He missed Ronan's laugh, his warmth, his smile... His lips. He missed waking up to Opal's singing, to her face beside his or a crayon masterpiece on his pillow. He missed the barns. Adam had never really thought about having a family, he just sort of accepted that it would or wouldn't happen. He never expected to be a father- or at least a father figure- especially not before he finished college. But sometimes things just happened. It was thanks to the same serendipity that he received a short month long internship which had kept him away for longer than he would have liked. But now it was over, and Adam was almost home.   
He arrived at The Barns earlier than he'd said he would, traffic was light, and he had the house to himself. From the kitchen window he could see Ronan. He was coming out of one of the older barns. Adam could tell the exact moment Ronan spotted him in the window, his whole body stilled. Then he broke into a run. Ronan smiled as he ran, grinning like starving man who'd just been handed a feast. He crashed through the back door, nearly taking out the coat stand, and threw himself at Adam. Adam wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, pulling Ronan into him. Ronan pulled away just enough to kiss Adam like his life depended on it. When they pulled apart to breathe both boys were smiling. Adam lifted his hand to trace Ronan's cheek. The taller boy leant into the touch.  
"I missed you"  
Adam whispered. Ronan's smile widened.   
"I missed you too"   
Adam captured Ronan's lips once more, this time the kiss was slow and soft- it overflowed with warmth and love.   
"Happy Birthday"  
Ronan muttered when they parted. Adam blushed. Kissing he could handle, birthdays... Not so much.   
"Thanks"   
He muttered. Still blushing Adam looked around the kitchen. Nothing much had changed since he'd last visited; there might have a few more drawings on the fridge, or a couple more dents in the cupboards but it still felt like home.  
"Where's Opal?"  
"She's... Uh, she's with your present"   
Adam snapped his focus back to Ronan.  
"My what?"  
Ronan smirked.  
"What? You thought just cause you told me not get you anything meant i didn't get you anything?"  
"Yes, yes that is exactly what I thought"  
Ronan rolled his eyes. He grabbed Adam by the arm and tugged him outside.   
They headed towards the barn Ronan had emerged from earlier. As they neared the barn Adam could hear Opal giggling, and what sounded like... Barking. Adam paused. He turned to his boyfriend.  
"Is that..."  
Ronan grinned. Releasing Adam's hand he continued towards the barn. Adam didn't move. There was no way, absolutely no way Ronan had bought him dog. That was too much, too big a gift, too big a responsibility. And it's not like Adam could take it with him, he wasn't living in halls anymore but his shared flat had a strict no pets rule.   
Adam's musings were interrupted by Opal. She barrelled out of the barn and straight into Adam's legs. Adam peeled Opal's arms from around his waist and hoisted her up to sit on his hip. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him like a monkey.   
"Miss me?"  
Adam asked jokingly. Opal tightened her hold on him and nodded into his shoulder. Adam rubbed circles into her back. He'd missed her too. So much.  
After a little while Opal pulled back, Adam put her down. Taking his hand Opal pulled Adam towards the barn. They weaves through dream items until, right at the back, they came across Ronan, a chest of drawers and the sweetest puppy Adam had ever seen. 

Later that evening Ronan Lynch sat on the floor of his living room with his boyfriend, his daughter and their puppy. The golden pup had fallen asleep on Adam's lap, and he played with its floppy ears.   
"He's beautiful"   
Adam whispered into the quiet.   
"I picked him!"  
Opal twittered happily. Adam smiled.  
"So you keep telling me"  
They room lapsed back into comfortable silence. After a while Ronan broke it,  
"Any ideas on a name for the little guy? I was thinking Jackhammer"  
"We are not naming the dog after a power tool Ronan"   
"Why not?"  
"Well for one because the bird is already named after a power tool"  
"So?"  
"So, it's like naming kids Crystal and Diamond; one of them named like that is ok, two just sounds stupid"  
Ronan pouted. Adam rolled his eyes. Opal snickered. The room once again fell into silence. Eventually Opal spoke.  
"I have an idea, but you might not like it"  
Adam smiled,  
"Try me"

"It's a very strange name"  
Blue repeated.  
"Says the girl named after a colour"  
Ronan retorted. They were stood in the middle of a small pet shop, waiting for the cashier to return with a freshly engraved collar tag. Blue and Gansey were visiting for the weekend and Blue had volunteered to accompany Ronan to the pet shop in town. Despite her teasing Ronan knew Blue had been smitten with puppy, weird name aside, and had jumped at the chance to help pick out a tag. After much deliberation they had decided on a simple circular tag with an enamel tree on one side. Adam would like it.   
The cashier returned and Ronan paid for the tag. As they headed back towards the car Ronan couldn't help but grin. He ran his thumb over the name engraved on the tag in swirling font. Ghost.


End file.
